Real Time Crime Center

The Peoria City Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) to support a Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) in the city, at their September 5, 2023, Regular Council Meeting.

Through the agreement, DPS will provide the city with $2.6 million to equip and operate the RTCC, located at the Pinnacle Peak Public Safety complex.

The mission of the RTCC is to centralize a broad range of current and evolving technologies in crime investigations, community policing and crime prevention.

The coordination of resources directs attention to high-crime areas, active crime in progress, large-scale public events that require law enforcement or fire-medical presence or response from the city.

A dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting event was held on Monday, March 24, 2025.

September 30: Peoria Police Real Time Crime Center Honored with National Awards

The Peoria Police Department’s Real Time Crime (RTCC) has quickly achieved national recognition for its innovation, collaboration, and leadership in advancing real-time policing.

At the 2025 National Real Time Crime Center Association (NRTCCA) Annual Conference and Awards in Atlanta, Georgia, Peoria’s RTCC received the following awards:

• DICE Development Award - honoring the RTCC’s rapid growth, technological advancement, and integration of best practices.
• DICE Collaboration Award - recognizing the Center’s groundbreaking partnerships across public safety disciplines, technology providers, and regional agencies.
• National RTCC Supervisor of the Year - awarded to Sergeant Michael Lesher, who has led the RTCC since it opened in March 2025.

Despite being in operation for only seven months, Peoria’s RTCC has achieved milestones that rival centers in place for years.

The Peoria RTCC has:

• Integrated city traffic and building cameras, license plate recognition, CAD/911 data, and other technologies into a unified real-time platform.
• Established the first-of-its-kind partnership with the Peoria Fire Department, embedding fire personnel within the RTCC to improve multi-disciplinary response.
• Developed a program with Peoria Unified School District to integrate school security cameras, enhancing campus safety.
• Supported 921 calls for service, assisted patrol on 685 incidents, processed 179 video requests, and facilitated 59 arrests in just six months.
• The RTCC’s average virtual response time of 28.5 seconds and its ability to provide intelligence before officers arrive on scene has elevated public safety citywide.

In addition to the department-wide awards, Sergeant Lesher was named National RTCC Supervisor of the Year, recognized for his vision, leadership, and innovation in establishing one of the most effective centers in the nation. His work has positioned Peoria as a model for other agencies, leading to his selection as a member of the
NRTCCA National Board.

The Peoria RTCC is preparing to launch a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program later this year, expanding Peoria Police’s ability to deliver rapid, intelligence-led response.

Other national-level nominations for Peoria Police included:

• RTCC of the Year – Peoria Police Department
• DICE Innovation Award – Peoria Police Department (for embedding fire personnel into RTCC operations)
• NRTCCA Member of the Year – Detective Bryant Hiatt
• NRTCCA Executive of the Year – Lt. Jason Tarrant

Background

The Peoria City Council’s Strategic Priority of “Public Safety” includes investing in the safety of our first responders and community members. The new Peoria Police Real-Time Crime Center will allow Peoria Police and Fire-Medical to access video footage from throughout the city to monitor real-time emergencies & events, investigations, community policing, and crime prevention.